Effect of cottage cheese whey pretreatment in the production of defatted whey protein retentate using two-phase cross flow microfiltration and ultrafiltration

This study investigated the effect of chemical and physical pretreatments in the permeate flux of cottage cheese whey during microfiltration and ultrafiltration, for the production of defatted whey retentates. Solutions of untreated and chemically treated whey were microfiltered through a 0.1µm pore size membrane at different flow rates, with and without the application of air to obtain the best combination that increased permeate flux by reducing membrane fouling. Significant differences (p<0.05) in permeate flux were found for RW at 10 L/min flow rate when either 10 or 20% air was injected during microfiltration. Application of 20% air significantly increased mean flux for EW. No significant difference (p<0.05) in flux was observed for CW when air was applied. Contrast statements also revealed that air significantly (p<0.05) increased flux across all types of whey during the microfiltration experiments. It was also found that protein permeation was significantly higher (p<0.05) when 20% air was used in the microfilter operating at 10 L/min liquid flow. Ultrafiltration of the microfiltration permeates revealed no significant difference (p<0.05) in permeate flux between untreated whey permeate processed with 20% air and calcium chloride treated whey permeate without air. In addition, there was significantly higher (p<0.05) protein permeation for MF permeates from RW when 20% air was used. These facts suggest that chemical pretreatment of cottage cheese whey could be minimized during WPC production.